On July 9, 2024 (Tuesday) at 18h00 in the Serdika Ancient Complex (Largoto) there will be a presentation of the collective volume Egyptian Cults on the Black Sea, followed by opening of the poster exhibition Egyptian Cults on the Black Sea / Cultes égyptiens en Mer Noire / Egyptian Cults Around the Black Sea. Special guest will be Prof. Laurent Bricot, affiliated with the French University of Toulouse-Jean Jaurès, who is a specialist in the field of Egyptian cults in the Mediterranean. The event is organized by the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Tracology "Prof. Alexander Fol" at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences together with the Regional History Museum - Sofia, New Bulgarian University, École française d'Athènes and with the support of the Francophone University Agency (Agence universitaire de la francophonie), which celebrates its 30-year presence in Southeast Europe.

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On June 25, 2024, a scholarly conference "Bulgarian Northwest in scholarly research and fiction" was held in the Exhibition Hall of the Regional Historical Museum in the city of Montana (RHM - Montana). The forum was organized by the Branch of the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Tracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS). Co-organizers were the Municipality of Montana and RHM - Montana. Scholarly Coordinator of the event was Prof. D.Sc. Alexandre Kostov, Corresponding Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Head of the Branch in Montana. A day earlier, at a solemn session of the Municipal Council, Prof. Kostov was awarded the Badge of Honor of the city of Montana.

A total of 15 people took part in the conference, including well-known scholars and experts: Acad. Yachko Ivanov, Acad. Ivan Zagorchev, Acad. Vladimir Zarev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vanya Ivanova, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lyudmila Mindova, together with museum specialists and local historians from the city of Montana.

The event was attended by prominent personalities such as Prof. Dr. Borislav Velikov, Mayor of the city of Montana, Mr. Zlatko Zhivkov, and Mr. Ivo Ivanov, Chairman of the Municipal Council in Montana.

The scholarly forum was opened by Prof. Alexandre Kostov with a presentation of the collection "The Bulgarian Northwest - Education and Culture", which is the result of last year's conference, organized by the Branch of the IBSCT-BAS in the city of Montana.

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On June 25 and 26, 2024 in Sofia an international interdisciplinary scholarly conference "Bulgarian-Croatian Dialogues. Times, Events, Individuals" was held, organized by the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Tracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS). The event was realized within the framework of the National Scholarly Programme "Development and Promotion of Bulgarian Studies Abroad". Partners of the scholarly forum were the Department of Historical Sciences, the Institute for the History of Croatian Literature, Theatre and Music at the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Bulgaria. The aim of the conference was to shed more light on the nature, typology and development of the Bulgarian-Croatian relations with an emphasis on the time of the modernization processes, the formation of civil society, existing local traditions and external influences, individuals and places of memory.

Greetings to the participants and guests of the conference were presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elka Traykova, Scientific Secretary of the "Cultural-Historical Heritage and National Identity" Division of the BAS, Prof. Dr. Roumiana Preshlenova, Director of the IBSC-BAS, H.E. Jasna Ognyanovac, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Croatia in the Republic of Bulgaria, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irina Ognyanova, coordinator of the project "Society, State and Church of Bulgarians and Croats through the Ages" and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Antoaneta Balcheva, coordinator of the project "Bulgarian and Croatian cultural routes in Southeast Europe. Intersections and Interactions'.

The exhibition "Croats and Bulgarians over the centuries. Cultural diplomacy and inter-academic cooperation/Hrvati i Bugari kroz stoljeća. Kulturna diplomacija i međuakademska suradnja" was opened during the academic forum. The exhibition was prepared by a team of IBSTC-BAS under the project “Cultural diplomacy in the Balkans in the 20th and 21st centuries: Achievements, challenges, and the way forward”, funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria. It is presented in partnership with the State Institute for Culture to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in the Republic of Bulgaria and the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The exhibition will be shown in other places in Bulgaria and abroad in the coming months.

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The president of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences acad. Julian Revalski presented the Director of the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre for Tracology (IBSCT-BAS) Prof. Dr. Roumiana Preshlenova with an honorary golden plaque for his significant contribution in fundamental and applied scholarly research. The honor was awarded during the solemn celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Institute of Balkan Studies. It was founded by a decision of the Council of Ministers on January 15, 1964 under the auspices of UNESCO as a scientific research and educational centre for the languages, history, culture and modern development of the Balkans. In 2010, it was joined by the Center for Tracology "Prof. Alexander Fol".

Greetings were presented on behalf of the Minister of Education and Science, the Chairperson of the Archives State Agency, the Rector and Dean of the Faculty of History of the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", the Rector of the Southwest University "Neofit Rilski", the Bulgarian National Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), Directors of the Institute of Literature, the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore with an Ethnographic Museum and the Institute for Art Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Director of the Regional History Museum in Silistra.

Congratulatory addresses were sent by the Minister of Culture, Directors of the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Diplomatic Institute, the Rector of the University of Library Science and Information Technologies, Directors of the National Archaeological Institute with Museum, the Institute of the Bulgarian Language "Prof. Lyubomir Andreychin" and the Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Directors of the Regional Historical Museum in Montana and the Regional Ethnographic Open Air Museum "Eter".

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The Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Tracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) organizes an international interdisciplinary scholarly conference "Bulgarian-Croatian Dialogues. Times, Events, Individuals" to be held on June 25 and 26, 2024. The event is realized within the framework of the National Scholarly Programme "Development and Promotion of Bulgarian Studies Abroad". Partners of the upcoming scholarly forum are the Department of Historical Sciences, the Institute for the History of Croatian Literature, Theatre and Music at the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Bulgaria. The conference aims at sheding more light on the nature, typology and development of the Bulgarian-Croatian relations with an emphasis on the time of the modernization processes, the formation of civil society (19th and 20th centuries), existing local traditions and external influences, individuals and places of memory.

The comparative, interdisciplinary research of significant cultural phenomena from the mutual historical and cultural chronicals between the two peoples is part of the work of the IBSCT-BAS projects "Society, State and Church in Bulgarians and Croats over the centuries" and "Bulgarian and Croatian Cultural Routes in Southeast Europe. Intersections and interactions".

The official opening of the international conference will take place on June 25, 2024 at 9:30 in Prof. Marin Drinov Grand Hall, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (1, 15th November Street).

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On June 19, 2024, at 13:00, we invite you to the second public discussion of the project "Historical Chameleons", where there will be presented the concept of PATRONAGE RELATIONS. The event will be held at IBSCT-BAS on 45 Moskovska St. You can find more information at https://historical-chameleons.clada-bg.com/en/discussion-patronage-eng/

The discussion is organized within the framework of the IBSCT-BAS project "Historical Chameleons", part of the e-infrastructure for Bulgarian linguistic and cultural heritage CLaDA.BG. 

On June 15 and 16, 2024, the Institute of Balkan Studies with the Center for Tracology at the BAS, the Council for Foreign Bulgarian Studies at the Board of Directors of the BAS and the Association for Bulgarian Studies of the USA hosted the twelfth joint conference of Bulgarian and American scholars "Living Bridges Across Time".

A total of 43 established scientists and young specialists from Bulgarian and North American scientific institutes and universities participated in the scientific forum. The program included ten sessions, in which the subject of analysis and discussion were a wide variety of problems in the field of sociology, cultural studies, cultural anthropology, literature, linguistics and history, all related to Bulgarian-American relations.

The scientific forum was opened by the chairman of the Council for Foreign Bulgarian Studies at the Board of the BAS, corresponding member Prof. Alexander Kostov, DSc, who emphasized the importance of the event and the opportunity it provides to scholars of Bulgaria from all over the world to present their scientific discoveries. He also wished successful work to the participants, noting that it is the discourse between specialists that stimulates academic progress.

The director of the Association for Bulgarian Studies, Dilyana Ivanova Ziske, PhD, gave a solemn address to the participants and guests, who emphasized the role of such forums in the development of Bulgarian-American scientific relations.

Support for the organized academic event was also expressed by the national coordinator and scientific secretary of the BAS in the direction "Cultural-Historical Heritage and National Identity", Assoc. Prof. Elka Traikova, PhD.

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On June 15 and 16, 2024, the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Tracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Council for Foreign Bulgarian Studies at the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Association for Bulgarian Studies of the USA will hold the 12th joint conference of Bulgarian and North American scholars "Living Bridges Across Time". The event is dedicated to the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Bulgaria, celebrated in 2023.

The conference brings together scholars who research topics and issues of mutual interest in the Humanities – history, language, literature, ethnography, art history, archaeology, culture, etc. Participants from both countries contribute to the field of Bulgarian studies abroad. Projects, which are the result of exchange of experience and joint initiatives over the last decade will be presented.

The forum is organized within the framework of the National Scholarly Program "Development and Promotion of Bulgarian Studies Abroad".

The conference will take place at 52, Shipcheski Prohod Blvd, building 17, Grand Conference Room.

PROGRAM

BOOK OF ABSTRACTS

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On June 10, 2024, an academic seminar with international participation "Spiritual and Cultural Heritage and Ethnic Identityinthe Balkans" was held. The event was organized by the Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) in fulfillment of the tasks of the academic project "Ethnic, Religious and Minority Issues in the Balkans in 20th and 21st Centuries" of the Institute for Balkan Studies and Center for Thracology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences with Reg. № 2412130 in the Registry of the Bulgarian Current Research Information System of the National Center for Information and Documentation (NACID).

The academic seminar was held in a hybrid form – in person in the IBSCT-BAS building and online via Zoom. Speakers were Miloš Rastović – Scholar-in-Residence at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, the United States of America, and Founder and President of the American Council for Eastern Europe, and Dr. Verzhin Hugasyan – Vice-Chairman of the Young Professionals (YP) of AGBU Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Prof. Dr. Golfo Alexopoulos, Director of the Institute for Russian, European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of South Florida, U.S.A. was a commentator of the event. The academic seminar was moderated by Prof. Dr. Nadia Boyadjieva, Doctor of Sciences in International Law and International Relations, affiliated with IBSCT-BAS, Head of the project "Ethnic, Religious and Minority Issues in the Balkans in 20th and 21st Centuries" and Chair of the Organizing Committee of the scholarly forum.

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This is a special edition published in implementation of a project for bilateral Bulgarian-Austrian cooperation, funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund. On the basis of archives and newly declassified documents, an in-depth systematic and comparative analysis of the processes taking place in bilateral relations during the Cold War period was made, systematizing the internal and external factors that had a significant impact. The trends in the field of bilateral relations, as well as the influence of the global structure of international relations on them, are scientificaly substantiated. The book is published in English and aims to reflect the point of view of a Bulgarian scholarly team on this extremely important topic, which is presented in parallel with the point of view of the Austrian colleagues from the joint project.

The Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Tracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) is pleased to invite you to a conversation with Dr. Aziz Shakir-Tash about his translations of the books by Petar Mutafchiev and Vera Mutafchieva and their reception in the Republic of Turkey. The event will take place on June 4, 2024 (Tuesday) at 15:00 in the IBSCT-BAS building (Moskovska Street No. 45).

Petar Mutafchiev (04.07.1883 – 02.05.1943) and Vera Mutafchieva (28.03.1929 – 09.06.2009) are prominent names in Bulgarian culture. With its significant research in the field of Byzantine studies and medieval studies, Petar Mutafchiev received well-deserved recognition not only in Bulgaria, but also abroad. Full professor at the University of Sofia, member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, corresponding member of the Slavic Institute in Prague, member of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Doctor honoris causa of the University of Vienna from 20.03.1943, Petar Mutafchiev is also the recipient of several orders for his participation in the Balkan and Inter-Allied War.

Vera Mutafchieva is equally known as an Ottomanist, but also as a brilliant novelist and essayist. Her scholarly activity began at the Institute of History, afterwards she worked at the Institute of Balkan Studies in the period 1964-1979. She is the author of more than 35 fiction books, including "The Case of Jem" (1967), "The Book of Sophronius" (1978), "Foretold by Pagane" (1980). In 1997, the memoir about her father, “Unraveling Your Father. An attempt at a biography of Petar Mutafchiev" was published.

Aziz Shakir-Tash is a poet, translator and Arabist. He is a second-level (R2) researcher at the Department of Arabic Studies and Semitology of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". He is author of the books "Reason for the Sky" (1993); At 22 & Rain Apocrypha (2004, 2007); "Adrianopol'dan Edirne'ye" / "From Adrianople to Edirne" (2007). Among his artistic translations stand out the books of Kemal Yozer, of anthologies of contemporary Palestinian and Kuwaiti poetry, his translations into Turkish of "Life and suffering of the sinful Sophronius" & "Book of Sophronius" by Vera Mutafchieva and "Book of Bulgarians" by Peter Mutafchiev (IC Zhanet 45, 2006).

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The Institute of Balkan Studies & Centre of Tracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IBSCT-BAS) is pleased to invite you to an academic seminar with international participation "Spiritual and Cultural Heritage and Ethnic Identity in the Balkans".

Speakers
Miloš Rastović
Scholar-in-Residence at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, the United States of America, and Founder and President of the American Council for Eastern Europe
Topic: Spiritual and Cultural Heritage Sites of Serbia After WWII

Verzhin Hugasyan, PhD
Vice-Chairman of the Young Professionals (YP) of AGBU Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Topic: Preservation of the Material and Spiritual Heritage of the Armenian People and the Role of Armenian General Benevolent Union YP (Young Professionals) Plovdiv

Commentator
Prof. Golfo Alexopoulos, PhD
Director of the Institute for Russian, European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of South Florida, U.S.A.

Moderator
Prof. Dr. Nadia Boyadjieva, Doctor of Sciences in International Law and International Relations
Institute for Balkan Studies with a Center for Thracology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

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